One of the best things about cooking with an Instant Pot is that the food comes out tasting as if it’s taken hours. The flavors are so well developed and tougher meats, like beef, just melt in your mouth!

This is exactly the type of result you will get when you make this Instant Pot Homemade Beef Stew. It’s a beef stew that tastes just like the one you might have eaten growing up. The stew that took mom hours to cook so that the beef was as tender as possible. Now, all the time and love that was put into that kind of homemade beef stew can be made in a fraction of the time.

Even as I grow more and more comfortable using the Instant Pot, I’m still amazed with the results. My son, who always complains that beef is too tough for him to chew, just eats it right up! Instant Pot Beef Stew is also a great way to sneak in some extra vegetables!

This recipe uses all real ingredients. Nothing is processed. There are no soup mixes. It’s truly a homemade, whole food kind of recipe!

INSTANT POT HOMEMADE BEEF STEW

Prep!

Season the stew meat with salt and pepper.

Mince the garlic, chop the shallot, and mix the cornstarch with the water in a small bowl. Cut the carrots and potatoes into larger chunks (about 1-inch pieces).

Create!

Turn your Instant Pot onto sauté. Add the olive oil and the beef cubes. Cook until just browned, about 5-7 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot.

A “quick release” is opening the pressure valve – be careful as the steam (and sometimes liquid) comes out hot. I usually place a kitchen towel over the valve before I open it.

Season the stew with salt and pepper after it’s done cooking.

Can This Beef Stew Recipe Be Made in a Slow Cooker?

So, if you still haven’t jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon (it took me a while too!), this Homemade Beef Stew recipe can be made in a slow cooker. You’ll want to brown the meat on the stove top first to seal in all the juices. Then, add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the peas, to your slow cooker and set to low for 8 hours. After the stew is done cooking, stir the peas in, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Instructions

PREP: Season the stew meat with salt and pepper set aside. Mince the garlic, chop the shallot, and whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Cut the carrots and potatoes into 1-inch chunks.

Turn your Instant Pot onto sauté. One hot, add the olive oil and the beef cubes. Cook until just browned, about 5-7 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot.

Add the shallot, garlic, carrots, potatoes, tomato sauce, beef stock, thyme, rosemary, and cornstarch mixture to the pot. Stir to combine. Put the lid on the pot and set to pressure cook on high for 35 minutes.

Once the stew is done cooking, let the Instant Pot do a natural release for 10 minutes. Then, do a quick release.

Remove the lid and stir in the frozen peas. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve in individual bowls and top with chopped parsley, if desired.

Notes

Tips and Techniques

Buy already cut stew meat from the grocery store to save time.

Cut the potatoes and carrots into chunks about the same size as the stew meat for even cooking and consistency.

A "quick release" is opening the pressure valve - be careful as the steam (and sometimes liquid) comes out hot. I usually place a kitchen towel over the valve before I open it.

Season the stew with salt and pepper after it's done cooking.

To Make This Beef Stew Recipe in a Slow Cooker:

Brown the meat on the stove top first to seal in all the juices. Then, add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the peas, to your slow cooker and set to low for 8 hours. Once the stew is done cooking, stir the peas in, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.